FDA delays registration renewal for food facilities

On Sept. 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the Biennial Registration Renewal for Food Facilities would not be available on Oct. 1, 2012. Therefore, the FDA is not accepting food facility registration renewals at this time.

Facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food for human or animal consumption have to register with FDA. And now the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires that food facilities re-register every two years with FDA, during the period beginning on October 1 and ending on December 31 in even-numbered years. The first registration renewal cycle under FSMA was due to start Oct. 1 and continue until Dec. 31, 2012.